History of Flight
On January 4, 2017, at about 1736 Pacific standard time, a Robinson Helicopter Company R22, registration N702JJ, collided with the water near San Pedro, California. The commercial pilot and the passenger sustained fatal injuries; the helicopter sustained substantial damage. JJ Helicopters operated the helicopter under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The local photography flight departed Torrance Municipal Airport, Torrance, California, about 1635. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The operator reported the purpose was to take aerial photos of cruise ships in a nearby harbor.
Recorded radar data showed the helicopter proceeding toward the Los Angeles harbor area, making numerous circles. The last portion of the track indicated a southeasterly course crossing perpendicular to a jetty that terminated at a lighthouse marking the west side of the harbor mouth. Southwest of the lighthouse, the helicopter made a sweeping left 270° turn past the lighthouse and then followed a slightly curved course parallel to the ocean side of the jetty. The last few targets showed a sharp right turn and terminated on the inland side of the jetty. Mode C altitudes varied between 100 ft and 700 ft in the last 11 minutes.
Witnesses on a cruise ship exiting the harbor mouth reported that the helicopter started spinning as it descended straight down into the water. One witness commented that it was "just dark enough to make it difficult to see the helicopter, all you could see clearly were the [spinning] lights."
Search efforts located the wreckage about 1015 on January 5, 2017, on the inland side of the jetty, southwest of the lighthouse.
Personnel Information
The pilot had 90 hours total time in rotorcraft and 45 hours as pilot-in-command in the accident make and model. His initial training was in fixed-wing airplanes, and all helicopter flight time occurred during the current year.
Aircraft Information
Fueling records showed the helicopter was last fueled on January 3, 2017, with 11.9 gallons of 100-octane aviation fuel. The owner flew the helicopter just before the accident flight and reported 15 gallons remained. Investigators drained the tanks; clear fluid was at the bottom with blue fluid on top, and about 5 gallons of blue fluid looked and smelled like 100-octane aviation fuel.
The pilot and passenger recorded their weights before takeoff. Based on those weights, the operator determined the helicopter was within longitudinal and lateral weight and balance limits at takeoff and at the time of the accident. RHC computations concurred. Using coroner-provided weights, RHC determined the helicopter was slightly out of longitudinal limits at both times.
Meteorological Information
FAA Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin CE-09-35 contains a graph illustrating the probability of carburetor icing. The conditions at the accident time (ambient temperature 55°F, dew point 52°F, 88% relative humidity) were in the area of serious icing at cruise power.
The passenger's camera was examined; most photographs were of Los Angeles harbor and cruise ships. The last photograph was an aerial shot of a cruise ship leaving the harbor under dark light conditions, with the helicopter outside the breakwater and lighthouse.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The helicopter came to rest upright in about 18 ft of water. The pilot was in the right seat, the passenger in the left, both with seat belts fastened. The pilot wore a helmet and an inflated life vest. All major components were recovered except the outboard 3/4 of one main rotor blade; the fracture surface was jagged. The throttle, mixture, and carburetor heat controls were connected at both ends; the airframe structure collapsed around them, preventing movement. The throttle arm at the carburetor was about 3/4 open, mixture full rich, carburetor heat control knob full down (OFF) and unlocked, and the carburetor heat airbox slider in a midrange position. The engine showed no holes in the crankcase or cylinders; tail pipe coloration was light gray with no oil residue. No rotational signatures were observed between the cooling fan and scroll or upper sheave and airframe. The crankshaft rotated freely, valves moved in firing order, gears turned freely, and thumb compression was obtained on all cylinders. Borescope inspection revealed no mechanical deformation.
Both main rotor blades were bent down at the hub and then upward about 2 ft out from the hub. One blade separated at that point along a jagged angle; the other blade remained full length but had a tear at midspan from the trailing edge to the back of the spar.
Additional Information
RHC Safety Notices SN-10, SN-18, SN-19, SN-24, SN-25, SN-29, SN-31, and SN-34 were referenced in the investigation, covering topics such as rotor rpm maintenance, night flying hazards, overwater operations, carburetor ice, and high-risk aerial survey flights. The R22 Pilot's Operating Handbook included information on the carburetor heat assist device and checklist items regarding carburetor heat adjustment.
Medical and Pathological Information
The Los Angeles County Coroner completed an autopsy on the pilot and determined the cause of death as drowning. Toxicology testing by the FAA was negative for carbon monoxide, ethanol, and tested drugs.